Map: Near McKellips & Gilbert

MESA, Ariz. -- A Mesa family owes their lives to their daughter's fiance, who was in the right place at the right time to hustle them out of their burning home.

It happened shortly before 3 a.m. in the neighborhood southeast of McKellips and Gilbert roads.

Clarence Davis spotted the fire and immediately jumped into action.

"He came home from visiting my daughter at work, saw that there was a fire, woke us up, got us up, got the grandkids out of the basement, and got us all out before the smoke started filling the house," Jerry Croy said.

The family, including two of their dogs, was able to get safely outside before the smoke detectors activated.

"I did what I could," Davis (right) said. "It scared me. I went back in to try to get some animals out and I could not see anything. It was all covered in smoke."

"We no more than got out and the house was engulfed," Croy said. "It's fortunate that he came home when he did and we were able to get out when we did."

Firefighters were able to save the other two dogs. Several cats are missing, but Croy was confident they would be found later in the day as things settled down.

The fire was a first-alarm assignment, which means several crews were sent to the house.

No injuries were reported.

According to the preliminary report, the fire appears to have started outside. The exact ignition point, however, has not been determined. An investigation is under way.